The Western District Amish Mennonite (AM) Conference was the counterpart of the [[Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference|Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference]] and included [[Illinois (USA)|Illinois]], [[Iowa (USA)|Iowa]], [[Missouri (USA)|Mis­souri]], [[Arkansas (USA)|Arkansas]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], [[Oklahoma (USA)|Oklahoma]], [[Nebraska (USA)|Nebraska]], [[Colorado (USA)|Col­orado]], and [[Oregon (USA)|Oregon]]. Following the discontinuance of the [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]] ministers' meetings of 1862-78 ([[Diener-Versammlungen|<em>Diener-Versammlungen</em>]]), the more progressive Amish leaders met occasionally for counsel and fellowship. One such informal meeting was held in Illinois around 1882 and another one in the Sycamore Grove church in Cass County, Missouri, in 1883. In 1884 these western Amish ministers held a conference in [[Henry County (Iowa, USA)|Henry County]], Iowa, at which time it was agreed to hold annual conferences, a plan which was followed from that date on. The earliest complete list of congrega­tions belonging to the conference is the 1905 sum­mary, which names 32 churches. A booklet entitled <em>Western District AM Conference. Record of Con­ference Proceedings from the Date of its Organiza­tion</em> begins with a report of the conference of 1890 held in the Sycamore Grove church, and ends with the conference of 1912, near [[Wayland (Iowa, USA)|Wayland]], Iowa. Al­though conferences were held before 1890, evidently it was in 1890 that the conference became completely organized. Subsequent annual reports end with 1920, the year in which a merger was effected between the Mennonite ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]) conferences west of Indiana and the Western Amish Mennonite Conference (this latter term was used interchangeably with "Western District A.M. Conference.") The five conferences affected by the merger were the Western Amish Mennonite, [[Pacific Coast Conference (Mennonite Church) |Pa­cific Coast]] (Old Mennonite Church),[[Illinois Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA) | Illinois]] (MC), [[Missouri-Iowa Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Missouri-Iowa]] (MC), and [[Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Kansas-Nebraska]] (MC). As a result of the merger the following five new Mennonite con­ferences appeared: [[Illinois Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Illinois]], [[Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Iowa-Nebraska]], [[Missouri-Kansas Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Mis­souri-Kansas]], Dakota-Montana, and Pacific Coast.

The Western District Amish Mennonite (AM) Conference was the counterpart of the [[Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference|Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference]] and included [[Illinois (USA)|Illinois]], [[Iowa (USA)|Iowa]], [[Missouri (USA)|Mis­souri]], [[Arkansas (USA)|Arkansas]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], [[Oklahoma (USA)|Oklahoma]], [[Nebraska (USA)|Nebraska]], [[Colorado (USA)|Col­orado]], and [[Oregon (USA)|Oregon]]. Following the discontinuance of the [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]] ministers' meetings of 1862-78 ([[Diener-Versammlungen|<em>Diener-Versammlungen</em>]]), the more progressive Amish leaders met occasionally for counsel and fellowship. One such informal meeting was held in Illinois around 1882 and another one in the Sycamore Grove church in Cass County, Missouri, in 1883. In 1884 these western Amish ministers held a conference in [[Henry County (Iowa, USA)|Henry County]], Iowa, at which time it was agreed to hold annual conferences, a plan which was followed from that date on. The earliest complete list of congrega­tions belonging to the conference is the 1905 sum­mary, which names 32 churches. A booklet entitled <em>Western District AM Conference. Record of Con­ference Proceedings from the Date of its Organiza­tion</em> begins with a report of the conference of 1890 held in the Sycamore Grove church, and ends with the conference of 1912, near [[Wayland (Iowa, USA)|Wayland]], Iowa. Al­though conferences were held before 1890, evidently it was in 1890 that the conference became completely organized. Subsequent annual reports end with 1920, the year in which a merger was effected between the Mennonite ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]) conferences west of Indiana and the Western Amish Mennonite Conference (this latter term was used interchangeably with "Western District A.M. Conference.") The five conferences affected by the merger were the Western Amish Mennonite, [[Pacific Coast Conference (Mennonite Church) |Pa­cific Coast]] (Old Mennonite Church),[[Illinois Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA) | Illinois]] (MC), [[Missouri-Iowa Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Missouri-Iowa]] (MC), and [[Kansas-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Kansas-Nebraska]] (MC). As a result of the merger the following five new Mennonite con­ferences appeared: [[Illinois Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Illinois]], [[Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Iowa-Nebraska]], [[Missouri-Kansas Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Mis­souri-Kansas]], Dakota-Montana, and Pacific Coast.

Revision as of 16:44, 30 March 2014

The Western District Amish Mennonite (AM) Conference was the counterpart of the Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference and included Illinois, Iowa, Mis­souri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Col­orado, and Oregon. Following the discontinuance of the Amish ministers' meetings of 1862-78 (Diener-Versammlungen), the more progressive Amish leaders met occasionally for counsel and fellowship. One such informal meeting was held in Illinois around 1882 and another one in the Sycamore Grove church in Cass County, Missouri, in 1883. In 1884 these western Amish ministers held a conference in Henry County, Iowa, at which time it was agreed to hold annual conferences, a plan which was followed from that date on. The earliest complete list of congrega­tions belonging to the conference is the 1905 sum­mary, which names 32 churches. A booklet entitled Western District AM Conference. Record of Con­ference Proceedings from the Date of its Organiza­tion begins with a report of the conference of 1890 held in the Sycamore Grove church, and ends with the conference of 1912, near Wayland, Iowa. Al­though conferences were held before 1890, evidently it was in 1890 that the conference became completely organized. Subsequent annual reports end with 1920, the year in which a merger was effected between the Mennonite (Mennonite Church) conferences west of Indiana and the Western Amish Mennonite Conference (this latter term was used interchangeably with "Western District A.M. Conference.") The five conferences affected by the merger were the Western Amish Mennonite, Pa­cific Coast (Old Mennonite Church), Illinois (MC), Missouri-Iowa (MC), and Kansas-Nebraska (MC). As a result of the merger the following five new Mennonite con­ferences appeared: Illinois, Iowa-Nebraska, Mis­souri-Kansas, Dakota-Montana, and Pacific Coast.